October 2023

Bennington Museum Monthly

Thank you to everyone who came out for the dedication ceremony of the Legends & Lore marker at Strobridge Park honoring Widow Kreiger. You can find out more information about the marker here, and also go down a rabbit hole as you explore all the other markers in the region! The witches walk was a great kick off to the Halloween season, and we encourage you to parlay that "spirit" and make room for some of our spooky events coming up in October. While here, also make sure to visit the Haunted Vermont exhibit, and wander the grounds (with or without your ghost sheets) to catch the last month of NBOSS before the snow flies and the sculptures come down. Unless, of course, you choose to purchase one to take home, in which case you can continue enjoying it through the winter and beyond!

We look forward to seeing you soon!

Upcoming Events

Thursday, 10/5

1:30pm- 8pm

A Monument Society Event

Travel north to tour the Vermont Marble Museum, explore haunted Wilson Castle, and enjoy fine dining at Roots.

Open and FREE to all Monument Society members (total of 2 people per membership)

Advance reservations are requested by October 1. A shuttle is available on a first come first serve basis.

Sunday, 10/8

2pm- 3pm

Norman Rockwell's Models

Join author Steve Haggerty as he shares his recent book, Norman Rockwell’s Models, In and Out of the Studio.

The book is based on extensive interviews. It is unique because it goes in-depth into the models’ experiences in the studios and their personal relationships with Norman. It features many never-before seen photos of the Rockwell family as well as candid photos of the models.

This presentation is included FREE with your Museum Admission.

Sunday, 10/15

2pm- 3pm

Bennington Historical Society: Shirley Jackson's Local Legacy

Shirley Jackson is perhaps the greatest writer of the horror/gothic fiction genre in 20th-century America. Her eldest son, Laurence Hyman, has recently gifted a large collection of Jackson’s writings and personal effects to Bennington Museum. This presentation will feature Jamie Franklin, Bennington Museum’s Director of Collections and Exhibitions, and Laurence Hyman, in a conversation about Jackson’s literary legacy, focusing on items from the collection and her local ties.

FREE thanks to support from Nexus Consulting.

Thursday, 10/19

1:30pm- 2:30pm

Museum ABCs:

Not-So-Scary Halloween Stories and Art

Get ready for Halloween with some of our favorite monster-iffic stories and art activities.



Museum ABCs is a collaboration between Bennington Museum and the Bennington Free Library. It is designed for children ages 3 to 5 and their adult companions. Siblings welcome!

FREE thanks to support from the Bank of Bennington and Stewart’s Shops.

Sunday, 10/22

2pm- 5pm

Bennington's Other Monuments:

A Bus Tour

Join the BHS for a guided bus tour of Bennington’s lesser-known monuments and historical markers. The tour will be narrated by Anne Bugbee and Bill Morgan and will include spots often overlooked by locals and tourists alike. Come and learn the stories behind how the markers came to be.

Members: $10

Not-Yet-Members: $15

Saturday, 10/28

10am- 12pm

The Art of Mourning

Join Bennington Museum curator, Jamie Franklin, for a tour of the Bennington Center Cemetery (also known as the Old First Church Cemetery). The cemetery tour will introduce you to gravestones carved by some of the most prominent stonecutters active in this area from the 1760s through the 1830s.



Members: $20

Not-Yet-Members: $25

Sunday, 10/29

2pm- 3pm

Music at the Museum: Songs of the Supernatural

Music has always been used to evoke the thin spaces between life and death, animal and human, and other phenomena beyond normal description. Versatile singer Kerry Ryer-Parke will explore songs of the supernatural, ranging from her background in traditional ballads to classical art song, jazz, and rock. She will be joined by colleagues and friends John Kirk (fiddle, voice, banjo, guitar), Joseph Alpar (santouri, voice), Virginia Kelsey (voice), Yoshiko Sato (piano), Peter King (guitar) and Cynthia Mangsen (voice and guitar) to cast a spell over your Halloween weekend.

FREE thanks to the generous support of Alison Nowak and Robert Cane and the Vermont Humanities Council.

Quilt Time!

The quilt that inspires quilters all over the world will be on its yearly display at the Bennington Museum through Indigenous People's Day (October 9). The 1863 Jane Stickle Quilt comprises 169 five-inch blocks, each in different patterns, containing a remarkable total of 5,602 pieces surrounded by a unique scalloped border. 

We're on TV!



If you missed any of the Concerts in the Courtyard this summer, CAT TV has you covered. Tune into their YouTube channel to hear some great local musicians serenade you while you work. Artist applications and information about the next season will be available in April. Thank you for making our Friday nights at the Museum special!

Monument Society

Support Bennington Museum

This past week you heard from Deana Mallory, Director of Public Programming, and now Callie Raspuzzi, Collections Manager, will tell you why your support makes a difference in terms of how we can care for and present our shared history to our community.